ADHD medications

[Malika]

This is interesting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/health/the-selling-of-attention-deficit-disorder.html?hp&_r=1&

 

[HMBgal]

This is interesting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/health/the-selling-of-attention-deficit-disorder.html?hp&_r=1&

Yeah. I read this, too. But, when I think back to when my grandson was spitting, hitting, out of control, tearing things off the walls, lying on the floor freaked out and screaming at school, getting kicked out of one preschool after another, no invites for birthday parties, and the constant vigilance needed because he simply couldn't be in a public setting safely, and then look where he is now...I'm so grateful for those drugs, along with the hard work he has done, we have done, his teachers have done, and his little brain maturing.

Yesterday, he was at a birthday party all day long and had NO behavior problems. He was sweet, friendly, and helpful to the smaller kids. Then we went to an evening ballet performance put on by the school at which he takes tap dance. This was a Christmas-themed ballet, so he wasn't in it, but his younger sister was. He sat through the whole performance, watching with interest, and during intermission he chatted up the elderly gentleman sitting on his left. He was a pure pleasure all day long with not a negative behavior observed. We could all relax and have a good time, and I can see his confidence in himself grow day by day. There are lots of variables to be sure, but I think the Concerta is part of his success story.

I do think ADHD is over-diagnosed, and probably kids are on drugs that don't need to be, but I'm not willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[Malika]

Hey, HMBgal, the point of the article (or of my posting it!) was NOT to say that genuinely, carefully diagnosed ADHD might not be helped by medications. It is to highlight the way in which the pharma companies are going all-out to capture this huge market and are not scrupulous in ensuring that those that take ADHD medications genuinely have ADHD.

 

[HMBgal]

Hey, HMBgal, the point of the article (or of my posting it!) was NOT to say that genuinely, carefully diagnosed ADHD might not be helped by medications. It is to highlight the way in which the pharma companies are going all-out to capture this huge market and are not scrupulous in ensuring that those that take ADHD medications genuinely have ADHD.

Yeah, I understand. It's the same with so many drugs, I think. But people's first reaction (even dear friends) when they find out grandson is on medications is opinions like this article. Big Pharma is a beast, no doubt about it. Unscrupulous on the one hand, life-saving drugs on the other. My fondest wish is that this boy will be able to go off these drugs someday; sooner rather than later. I would love to see him take a medication vacation just to see how he does, but the ramping up again is not fun to watch, so medication vacations are not to be taken lightly, I don't think.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Big Pharma is a major problem in our current medical systems... no question. And it isn't just developmental issues like ADHD or mental health issues that are being targeted... it's everything. Something as simple as cholesterol levels being way too high... it's always about medication, not about diet and other front-line low-risk interventions.

in my opinion, Big Pharma funds too much of the medical research that does get done. Which means that too often, the questions that are not likely to have a chemical solution, don't get funded for research.